Cell cams junk or not

[spin05]

After a lot of research I finally decided to buy the SPYPOINT lte micro s.   I trialed it at home with the free 100 pics it comes with and was very pleased.   It is only a 10 or 12 megapixel cam but it has the option to request full he photos for pics you want more / better clarity and those pictures are amazing.   My research made it clear that the model with solar charger and rechargeable batteries was a must.   The non rechargeable version were averaging 4-6 weeks on a set of 8aa batteries.   Mine has been hung and operational for about three weeks and again I am very impressed.   The unlinked plan with a few extras cost me about 100 dollars a year.  I purchased a bear box and hanging strap / mount so I could hang it higher in a tree and still Jane a good angle…..didn’t want the critters messing with this camera!!   Cost for the package was just under $200.   

I want more but I don’t have great cell service at the property so I am limited where I can hang them.

We have 3 of these. One finally bit the bullet after spending the entire winter outside in the Okanagon.  There kinda of finicky. You mast A) Use good expensive lithum batteries. B) format the mino SD card to FAT32 the long way not the shortcut. C) Make sure its up to date with the latest firmware. I had good luck with mine last elk season.  It seemed thou after i pulled it there was a couple photos i swear it never sent over cell but had the pics on the card.  Oh and never switch cards. Always down load whats on it. And put it right back in the camera.

[Machias]

I'm trying the SpyPoint Cell Link, turns any non cellular camera into a cellular one. Seems to be working at home, and deploying it Saturday. Hope it works. $50.

How they working out for you?  @Wet Chicken

Thinking about trying a couple of these out.

[Machias]

So got up there to reset the cam only to find out the battery are dead!!!!!!!!
Brand new engergizer lithium battery (12 of them)
I didn't think I would need new battery in three days.
About 150 pics of birds and wind.

I get about 3+ months out of my Spypoint Micro batteries.  I have it send photos 6 times a day.

[hunter399]

It's been working on ,on 1 a day transmission.
Made this the other day ,it took me about an hour to tack it together and paint it.
Holds my battery box ,with a solar charger.
Made it out of a tree stand step.
They give a long cord ,you can just put it on the ground.
But I want it up high .

[Birdguy]

That is a great looking holder, I hope it works out for you! Our 7000Vi is still doing amazing, it has been up at our place in Okanogan since December of 2019, probably have over 10000 pics on it so far. I replaced batteries in July of 2020, December of 2020 and again in July of 2021. My SD card did crap out on me in June of 2021 so we had to go swap that but otherwise it has been great! I had mine on immediate download of pictures for the  first year plus. I did change it this spring when the winds over there caused massive pictures to 4 times a day and pics every 5 minutes. I will be deploying my new Delta in a coupe weeks to see what is around with all the fires. I will say that Moultrie has made everything right by me as a customer over the years.

My hunting partner has a couple tactacams and if I could have found them when I was looking (SOLD OUT) I would have bought a couple because they seem to work very well too.

[Wet Chicken]

I'm trying the SpyPoint Cell Link, turns any non cellular camera into a cellular one. Seems to be working at home, and deploying it Saturday. Hope it works. $50.

How they working out for you?  @Wet Chicken

Thinking about trying a couple of these out.

I really don't know.  They seem to work at home, and when you set them up, but out in the field I've had problems. The SD card is easily dislodged when you shut the door, cell reception comes n goes even in good reception areas, and the cable connecting the devices can easily broken. Right when I think I have it figured out I don't get any pics, and swear it's junk, only to find out when I go get it the apples haven't been touched. I really don't know what I think about them.

[carpsniperg2]

I've been playing with the cell link as well. I have had mine pop out randomly in the card slow and then it stops. Other then that its been working great so far. My stupid cams do a ton of blank pics but it just sends them anyways. Not the links fault.

[hunterednate]

Question for you cell-cam guys: can you set your cam to take timed photos instead of motion-sensored photos? Like instead of taking a pic every time an animal walks by, can you program it to take a photo at 9 am and 3 pm every day and that's it? Thanks!

[Skyvalhunter]

Not on any of the cams I use

[Machias]

Question for you cell-cam guys: can you set your cam to take timed photos instead of motion-sensored photos? Like instead of taking a pic every time an animal walks by, can you program it to take a photo at 9 am and 3 pm every day and that's it? Thanks!

Yes, I do that with my Spartan camera.  It takes a photo 8 times a day.  I have it take a photo at Noon, midnight, 0500, 0700, 0900, 1900, 2000, and 2200.

[Machias]

I'm trying the SpyPoint Cell Link, turns any non cellular camera into a cellular one. Seems to be working at home, and deploying it Saturday. Hope it works. $50.

How they working out for you?  @Wet Chicken

Thinking about trying a couple of these out.

I really don't know.  They seem to work at home, and when you set them up, but out in the field I've had problems. The SD card is easily dislodged when you shut the door, cell reception comes n goes even in good reception areas, and the cable connecting the devices can easily broken. Right when I think I have it figured out I don't get any pics, and swear it's junk, only to find out when I go get it the apples haven't been touched. I really don't know what I think about them.

Thanks

[Rainier10]

Watched a cool show this weekend "cell cam revolution" on the sportsman channel that did an hour show on all different cell cameras talking about their different features.

[hunterednate]

Question for you cell-cam guys: can you set your cam to take timed photos instead of motion-sensored photos? Like instead of taking a pic every time an animal walks by, can you program it to take a photo at 9 am and 3 pm every day and that's it? Thanks!

Yes, I do that with my Spartan camera.  It takes a photo 8 times a day.  I have it take a photo at Noon, midnight, 0500, 0700, 0900, 1900, 2000, and 2200.

Cool! Thanks. How do you like that model overall?

[Machias]

Question for you cell-cam guys: can you set your cam to take timed photos instead of motion-sensored photos? Like instead of taking a pic every time an animal walks by, can you program it to take a photo at 9 am and 3 pm every day and that's it? Thanks!

Yes, I do that with my Spartan camera.  It takes a photo 8 times a day.  I have it take a photo at Noon, midnight, 0500, 0700, 0900, 1900, 2000, and 2200.

Cool! Thanks. How do you like that model overall?

Love it, I've had it for about 6+ years now.  But it was WAAAAY more expensive than all the new cellular trail cameras.  When I bought this one it was one of the first ones out.  I think it was $450ish. I bought it at a Sports Show in PA and got it for $369 at the show....if I remember right.  However, it has more than paid for itself over the years in saved gas and time.

[hunterednate]

Question for you cell-cam guys: can you set your cam to take timed photos instead of motion-sensored photos? Like instead of taking a pic every time an animal walks by, can you program it to take a photo at 9 am and 3 pm every day and that's it? Thanks!

Yes, I do that with my Spartan camera.  It takes a photo 8 times a day.  I have it take a photo at Noon, midnight, 0500, 0700, 0900, 1900, 2000, and 2200.

Cool! Thanks. How do you like that model overall?

Love it, I've had it for about 6+ years now.  But it was WAAAAY more expensive than all the new cellular trail cameras.  When I bought this one it was one of the first ones out.  I think it was $450ish. I bought it at a Sports Show in PA and got it for $369 at the show....if I remember right.  However, it has more than paid for itself over the years in saved gas and time.

Great! Thanks for the info.